This rustic no-knead Danish rye bread is made with just simple 6 ingredients. Soaked sunflower seeds and cracked rye (or steel cut oats) mixed into the dough keep it hearty, while active dry yeast instead of sourdough ensures a good rise every time.
Easy Fermented Rye Bread without Sourdough
I've shared plenty of rye bread recipes here, and I created this Danish rye bread as an alternative to my German rye bread if you don't have sourdough. It's got the same rustic, hearty flavor, except this Rugbrød is made with 100% dark rye flour and gets baked in a loaf pan, while my Roggenbrot has a little white + wheat flour mixed in and is baked on a baking sheet.
In testing, baking this bread in a loaf pan is essential since rye flour doesn't doesn't have the elasticity to hold a freeform shape. And the loaf pan makes it really easy to slice the dense loaf to build into smørrebrød, which actually has me looking forward to my weekday lunches.
Now while there's very little hands-on time, this is by no means a "quick" bread. In fact, traditional Danish rye bread is often fermented for up to 24 hours, letting those tangy flavors deepen. But I cut that fermentation in half to 12 hours by using active dry yeast (no sourdough needed!)
Growing up in Germany, we visited Denmark to the north several times, and I'd often bypass the rye loaves and head straight for sweeter breads. But now that I'm older, I much prefer the cozy comfort of a slice of rye bread with seeds. Better late than never, right?
Let's Bake Dark Rye Sandwich Bread!
Bread Scoring Tip
I recommend scoring the top of your proofed loaf with a single long slash down the center lengthwise. This will help control the expansion as your bread bakes.
My Tips for Baking Rye Bread
- Prevent Gummy Bread: It's important to wait for the loaf to cool fully, for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before slicing it.
- Avoid Cracked Bread: In testing, covering the dough with a damp cloth as it proofed prevented it from drying out and cracking.
No-Knead Danish Rye Bread without Sourdough
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
Soaker
- 1½ cups cracked rye (see note)
- ½ cup hulled sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
- 1½ cups cold water
Dough
- 5 cups dark rye flour
- 1 Tablespoon salt (use non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one envelope)
- 2½ cups warm water
- ¼ cup dark molasses
Instructions
Day One
- Combine the cracked rye, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and cold water in a small bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to sit & soak at room temperature overnight, for 8 to 12 hours.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rye flour, salt, active dry yeast, water, and molasses. Mix it with a large spoon to combine everything, until you can shape it into a dense ball and it's no longer crumbly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature overnight, for 8 to 12 hours.
Day Two
- Grease a 5-inch by 9-inch loaf pan with olive oil or line it with parchment paper.
- Add the soaked crack rye and seeds (no need to drain it) to the dough mixture, and mix it with a large spoon to combine everything. (The dough will be very dense and thick.)
- Press the dough into the prepared loaf pan, ensuring it is evenly pressed into all the edges. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel, and let it proof for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Optional: Score the top of your loaf with one long slash down the center length-wise.
- Bake for about 1.5 to 2 hours, until the loaf is dark brown, and has an internal temperature around 205°F to 210°F (you can use a kitchen thermometer to check).
- Slide a kitchen knife around the edges of the loaf pan to remove it, or pull the loaf out of the pan by the parchment paper. Let cool completely to room temperature on a cooling rack for at least 4 hours. Slice and enjoy!!
Notes
- If you can't find cracked rye berries, you can get whole rye kernels and crush them slightly in a food processor. And if you can't find either, you can substitute steel cut oats since they have a similar size and texture.
- Once your baked loaf has cooled, run a kitchen knife around all the edges to release it from the loaf pan.
Yoko says
Hi! I was so happy to find this recipe—I've been looking for something like this ever since I tried rye bread in Denmark. I'm especially glad that it's made with ingredients I can get here in Japan.
I just have one question: Are the "cups" in this recipe based on the US measurement, or are they metric?
Carissa Erzen says
Hi there! I'm so glad you are planning to make this bread! The cups are based on US measurement - do you need it in metric?
Yoko says
Thank you so much for your reply. Yes, metric would be great, thank you!
Carissa Erzen says
Hi Yoko, I added metric measurements for this bread recipe. You can find them by toggling to "metric" under the ingredients section. Let me know how this loaf turns out for you!